North Korea urges foreigners in South to evacuate

SEOUL (AFP) - North Korea said Tuesday the Korean peninsula was headed for “thermo-nuclear” war and advised foreigners to consider leaving South Korea, as the UN chief warned of a potentially “uncontrollable” situation.

The “thermo-nuclear war” threat has been wielded several times in recent months - most recently on March 7 - despite expert opinion that North Korea is nowhere near developing such an advanced nuclear device.

“It is our current assessment that there is no immediate risk to British nationals in South Korea,” a British embassy spokesman said, echoing similar statements from the US, French and other missions.

A top US commander said Tuesday he favoured shooting down a North Korean missile only if it threatened the United States or Washington’s allies in the region.

“I would not recommend that,” Admiral Samuel Locklear, head of US Pacific Command, told lawmakers when asked his view about Pyongyang possibly soon firing a missile, amid speculation North Korea is preparing for such a launch.

The South Korean stock market closed slightly up Tuesday, before the KCNA statement was published.

The Korean peninsula has been locked in a cycle of escalating military tensions since the North’s third nuclear test in February, which drew toughened UN sanctions.

Pyongyang’s bellicose rhetoric has reached fever pitch in recent weeks, with near-daily threats of attacks on US military bases and South Korea in response to ongoing South Korean-US military exercises.

Yonhap news agency Tuesday cited South Korean intelligence as saying the North had completed preparations for an expected missile test-launch - possibly to coincide with April 15 celebrations for the birthday of late founder Kim Il-Sung.

However Tuesday’s threat was unlikely to worry South Korea’s foreign community of around 1.4 million that has calmly weathered the rhetorical storm thus far.

“A few months ago I would be worried but by now I think they’re just trying to scare people,” said Jone Geyskens, 21, a Belgian studying in Seoul.

“I know a lot of South Koreans, they don’t seem to be scared.”

Earlier Tuesday North Korean workers followed Pyongyang’s order to boycott the Kaesong joint industrial zone with South Korea, signalling the possible demise of the sole surviving symbol of cross-border reconciliation.